Today's best bets, by Malcolm Heyhoe

It was a good time on the tips front for the Guardian yesterday. It was pleasing to see Lucky Art, the paper's "tip of the day" in yesterday's paper, land the odds in the last at Thirsk, and as the horse sprinted past the post you would have heard Racing UK presenter, Paul Morrison, gulping down a generous helping of humble pie. Before the race Morrison had poured cold water on Lucky Art's chances.

Morrison was on duty at Thirsk in the company of co-presenter Tom O'Ryan and the latter was minus his trademark flat cap that sits on his head like a saucer during the winter months. O'Ryan was quick to point out that Lucky Art was yet another winner for up-and-coming trainer, Ruth Carr. What an exciting talent she is, and judging by an interview with a giddy Lesley Graham on Channel 4 last Saturday, she is bright and thoughtful too about the tricky business of training horses. Mrs Carr has entered Red Cape and Excusez Moi for Saturday's big sprint handicap, the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon, and both horses are currently on offer at 16-1 with William Hill for the six-furlong sprint.

Talking of sprints there can be few trainers that can match the achievements in this sphere of Henry Candy and at Nottingham this evening the Wantage-based trainer unleashes the exciting Dorback (6.55) in a novice event and the striking son of Kyllachy looks one of the day's most interesting runners. Candy knows all about Dorback's family because he trained his sire to land the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes and judging by Dorback's entries in the Mill Reef and Middle Park Stakes, bigger and better things are expected of this speedily-bred colt. An easy winner at Windsor in June of a maiden that is working out particularly well, Dorback has yet to race on a soft surface but his sire and dam were both suited by ease underfoot. He will be hard to beat.

Tipping competition, day two

Plenty of winners were found yesterday but no one got all three and the early leaders at this early stage are Emmapathak and Horses4courses.

This week's prize is a copy of Racing's Greatest Characters (JR Books, £8.99), by Graham Sharpe, the head of media relations for bookmakers William Hill. The publication includes portraits of the likes of Red Rum, Shergar, Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori. Prince "I Gotta Horse" Monolulu gets the best part of four pages in which it is revealed that Jeffrey Bernard inadvertently hastened the tipster's demise by feeding him a strawberry cream from a box of Black Magic chocolates when he went to visit him in hospital. Monolulu, who was very ill at the time, choked to death.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. Regarding any dispute, our decision is final. You can join in today but you must start on -3.